Listening to Brad Marchand respond to a question today about whether his two-game suspension will change the way he plays, you might’ve started to think the Bruins winger wasn’t getting the message.

But by the end of the rookie’s response in Nashville, where he will not be able to play for Boston against the Predators tonight, you could tell that he has developed a decent concept of the line he crossed in Columbus Tuesday and the line he has to toe going forward to contribute to the Bruins’ cause.

Marchand started out with his answer like this:

“You go out there and you can’t let this change your game because that’s how I’ve had to play to get here, that’s how I’ve had to play to stay here. If I start changing things, then maybe I won’t be as effective. It happens, it’s hockey and that stuff happens. It’s part of the sport, it’s always going to happen. There’s always going to be hits to the head, especially with how fast guys are and how big and strong they are, and how physical guys are. It’s always going to be there.”

Gulp. Hearing this response, I had to wonder if Marchand was planning on a few more head shots and a few more suspensions before the season is out. But then he made an important distinction:

“But the big thing is you can’t be taking cheap shots, and I think that’s where you’ve got to draw the line. But it’s not going to change my game, it’s not going to affect it. I still have to play the same way.”

OK, so Marchand understands that what he did to Columbus’ R.J. Umberger could be considered in some circles as “cheap,” and he has to avoid those types of play. Whoosh. I wasn’t looking forward to playing the “waiting for the NHL discipline department to issue a verdict” game many more times this season.

What Marchand said showed that he might’ve learned his lesson. We’ll only know by watching him play down the stretch of this season and in future campaigns.

Agitating is part of the game you have to have players like Brad. Ask Ruff how much Sobotka got his players off their game in the playoffs last season ? Don’t have too Lindy mentioned Vlad in a post game press conference.

I want Marchand as chirpy as possible when he comes back it’s part of hockey as well as allot of sports and the next time he comes near a player bent over leave the elbow at home. If Umberger were standing up the elbow would have hit RJ in the lower back. Awareness of when the opposing player is vulnerable is what Marchand and NHL players need to work on IMO.

Marchand plays a cheap shot brand of hockey. his yapping and chippiness detracts from the team’s effort to put points on the board. when he was putting points up he wasn’t as chippy, he has been much more chippy over the last 6-8 weeks and his point production has fallen sharply. he has become so focused on yapping that he has lost sight of winning. the B’s as a team really need to go back to a hard hitting game and layoff with starting the fights.

That’s just it. A crack in the ribs is just as effective. Players need to change the mindset. Gritty, pesky, chippy…call it what you want, every team needs that type of player and you don’t have to hit a guy in the head to do it. Sounds like Marchand gets the distinction and will understand it going forward.